Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-01-05
SENTIMENTS OF A NORTHERN DEMOCRAT


Ed. Spectator:-Having been introduced,
by one of Virginia's true patriotic daugh-
ters, who is at present sailing in her skih
with the progressive tidal wave of Western
edueation,-te your interesting, spicy and
wide-awake Democratic paper, l could
not help, as perused its columns, b1t feel
the brilliancy-the enlightInent-ef the
great light of Democratic patriotism, the.
greatest light Of our land.
In fact, the only head-ligh by which the
people are truly, honestly. and economical
ly guided. Ofall, it is the brightest.
The others are either poisonous blue,
snaky or; en-, sickly yellow, or a bloody
red, while the light of Democracy shines
above them all. the clearest and whitest of
white, the most sacred and pure of purity,
Though many miles, mountains, hills,
rocks, and cliffs are between us, 1 seemed
to feel the spark of friendship transmitted
DER the wires of Democratic cordialty, feel
the firm and hearty clasp of solidity, imagine
the colossal forms and towers of Virginia's
Democratic honesty, service, and support.
Virginia-the great store-house of Demo-
cracy, where the union, the American peo-
pie, the government, first procured its
wicks, its oil, it's all, which made up that
great light that has shone as the brightest
and is destined SO to do for all time to come,
that leader of leaders, chief of chiefs, meteor
of meteors-Democracy.
Though a stranger by name and by werd,
I could not help. feeling as your fellow
comrade marshalled in the gigantic-the
honest-clad ranks of Democracy; and hence
desiring to assist in scattering the shining
light of Democracy throughout the land,
that all may be strengthened and encour-
aged by its invigorating rays, how could
resist penning short note for the SPECTA-
TOR.
To read your paper is not only pleasure,
but also, a channel of information. Short
ly after election, we could hear all about us
the baseless cry, that the people of Virginia
are becoming dissatisfied with the admins
tration-that they are all turning to be de-
struetive protectioni.ts. But when the facts
are known, when the rays Of information
are shed from the true side, we learG-not
to our surprise-that the great, renowned
pledominating party of your State was only
unfortunately dormant at the time of action.
Just SO was the unhappy delusion with
the true spirited and patriotic voters of the
18th (eighteenth) congressional district of
Illinois. The noble and honored supper
ters of Col Morrson--the Hercules of Re-
ton, nearly all of them being farmers, and
considering defeat to be impossible, the
ballot box was deprived of their heroic and
American suffrage.
One thing we car happily recollect at the
next campaign and that is, that with all the
deficiency, Morrson's defeat was only ac-
complished by the fraudulent schemes of
sneakipg protectiOnists, and the glitteriDg
gold of black INSCRIPTIONS Republicans.
AS one reads that "Vauey Trginian,"
which unfortunately has found it's way to
our city, as well as few others, presume)
and hears its silent and wailing cry, notices
its assaults on Democracy, based only on
personal animosity; considers it's American
sentiments aud intentions, and investigates
its argument on the tariff, can one help say
ing "Rats!' The protectionists assert that
the tariff has doubted the number of en-
ployers, lifted wages and aided labor pow
| erfully, etc., etc.
The idea! any man who has observed
knows that the protective tariff has trans
formed Unlimited numbers of would-be en-
| pleyers into poodle-dogs for ring LEADERS
| and managers of monopolies.
Lifted wages p and to prove their state
| ment refer to the coal fields. and manufae-
tories of Pennsylvania. While there in the
very field of their argument, we find the
corporations debating their terms to both
the employees aud the public, they being ab-
solute masters of the situation, and being
such, having unlimited control of affairs,
they have lately raised the price of coal s'to
an advance of 80 and 80 per cent" and
strenuously refuse to raise the price OF
/ wages ''a beggarly one of ten cents ton. :"
What argument! 1t is only brazen fib
thrown into the face of facts.
By. the tariff we, the consumers-the
farmers-the pillars of our prosperity, are
compelled to put our hard-earned money
into the pockets Of monopolies, rings of pro-
lection, and political frauds. Once out OF
our hands it is gone forever. We can not
do anything. The poor hand laborer is
powsrless.- All must succumb to the fate
of heartless money-kng. He will not
hand out single red cent more than he
can help, and even when he must pay the
employees, he'll squeeze quarter till the
il "eagle screams" The only power that ID